May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We present here a selection of Bullfrog Films releases that will jumpstart thoughtful classroom and group discussions on living with mental illness; on providing care and support to the mentally ill; on coming to terms with personal and generational trauma; on making space for personal care and mental wellness in the face of a fast-moving and chaotic culture.

These and other documentaries are available for purchase and rental by schools, libraries, and other organizations. Academic streaming can be licensed from Docuseek. Campus and community groups interested in hosting in-person or virtual screening events can book screenings through Bullfrog Communities.
Orchestrating Change is an award-winning documentary that tells the inspiring story of the only orchestra created by and for people living with mental illness and those who support them, the Me2/ Orchestra. Co-founded by conductor Ronald Braunstein—who lives with bipolar disorder—and his partner Caroline Widdon, the orchestra's mission is to erase mental health stigma one concert at a time. Its groundbreaking model is changing the lives of participating musicians and challenging audiences to reconsider their misconceptions about mental illness.
Although dealing with his mother's Alzheimer's disease is painful, caring for her does offer filmmaker David Sieveking a chance to reconnect with his family, and Forget Me Not documents his immersion in the secrets and passions of his parents' long and fascinating lives. Some stories are heroic, while others have left a painful legacy in the couple's long marriage. What emerges is a poignant and rich study of family ties, the delicate nature of marriage, and the unexpected rewards that come from living life to the fullest.
Blind Trust celebrates the life and work of psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. Vamik Volkan, a five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee who has spent over four decades bringing enemy groups together in areas of conflict all over the world. Dr. Volkan’s model of diplomacy based on the emotional life of nations, developed during his pioneering fieldwork and peace-building missions in Europe, the Middle East and the U.S., sheds light on how large-group identity and generational trauma can unite us or divide us for generations, and how populist and authoritarian leaders can stir collective grievance, promote violence, and undermine democracy.
Town Destroyer investigates a dispute over historic murals at San Francisco's George Washington High School depicting the life of George Washington. Painted in 1936 by WPA artist Victor Arnautoff, the murals both praise Washington and depict him in a critical light as he oversees his slaves and directs the bloody seizure of Native lands. Opponents of the murals demand the School Board order them painted over, arguing that the murals' graphic depictions of slavery and genocide are racist and harmful to students. Defenders of the murals warn of the dangers of censoring history, and urge the Board to "teach the murals." This fight becomes a catalyst for a national discussion about censorship, reparations, generational trauma, and the ways in which America's history of genocide and slavery is taught and memorialized.
Directed by Media and Communications scholar Joni Siani, Celling Your Soul is a powerful and informative examination of how teens and young adults actually feel about connecting with others in the digital world and their love/hate relationship with technology. It provides empowering strategies for more fulfilling and authentic human interaction within the digital landscape, including a step-by-step guide to a "digital cleanse."

Film-related resources available for download from our catalog include a Film Guide and introduction to the "digital cleanse" challenge depicted in the film, and a companion workbook that explores the film's themes.
The revival of nationalism paired with xenophobia, an increasing tribalization of politics, and a public sphere oscillating between cruelty and sentimentality mark significant parts of our current political Zeitgeist. Politicians, scholars and journalists alike speak of a culture of resentment that defines politics today. How did we enter such a toxic climate? Are these developments a response to the ubiquity of neoliberal market structures eroding the basic solidarities in our society? Has the spread of social media triggered a culture of trolling and hyper moralization? The Toxic Reigns of Resentment introduces and critically discusses concepts of resentment and their relation to contemporary political discourse.
For additional films on psychology, mental health and wellness, please browse our subject areas.

To order these or other Bullfrog Films releases,
Order by phone at (610) 779-8226
or email us at info@bullfrogfilms.com
Bullfrog Films is the oldest and largest publisher of documentary films about the environment in the United States. We define "environment" broadly, and our catalog includes programs on education, anthropology, agriculture, indigenous peoples, social psychology, women's studies, history, political science, sustainable development, community regeneration, economics, ethics, and conflict resolution.